Two Ohio State offensive linemen have a chance to steal starting spots in 2024.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ryan Day issued a challenge to a few members of Ohio State’s offensive line as they head into an important spring.

The offensive line didn’t play up to par last season with things completely falling apart in the final game in a 14-3 loss to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl. Four of the five starters from last year are back in 2024, but that doesn’t mean they’ll keep their jobs.

“I’m hoping this is the most competitive spring we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Day said. “But we’ll see.”

Day wants competition everywhere this spring. But the offensive line is the position group that needs to have that as much as possible. It’s the spot on this team with the most question marks around it even with a quarterback room featuring three new people.

The Buckeyes need to see both the floor and ceiling rise drastically in that room making sure it’s not the thing that holds back a roster bringing back so much talent everywhere. That’s why there was no hesitation in bringing in former Alabama center Seth McLaughlin from the transfer portal.

That solves one spot. The other spots could be solved by guys already on the roster entering pivotal off-seasons where they could jump someone on the depth chart. No two players fit that description better than Luke Montgomery and Tegra Tshabola.

“Big Spring,” Day said. “Huge spring for both of those guys and that’s not the only guys. There’s a bunch of other guys in that room that this is a huge spring for them.”

Montgomery is entering his second year as a former top 100 recruit who impressed from the minute he stepped on campus. He spent his freshman year playing 44 snaps, most of which were spent playing the Bison role. It’s the same role Donovan Jackson played as a true freshman in 2021 and Josh Fryar played in 2022. Both went from playing that spot to being starters the following season.

Tshabola is the definition of the ‘eye test.’ He’s 6-foot-6 and 272 pounds with a high athletic center, suggesting that he has first-round potential if it hits. He’s entering Year 3 playing 83 snaps over the last two seasons even spending time in that Bison role in the Cotton Bowl.

Those two are expected to push for spots on the right side of the offensive line joined in the battle by Fryar who could potentially stay at right tackle or move inside to guard.

Three players for two spots. That’s the initial battle heading into the spring though more names could be added over those 15 practices. But the challenge has been thrown out there.

Montgomery and Tshabola were highly rated recruits looked as players expected to be part of the future of the Buckeyes’ offensive line. Both used their early years to build a foundation setting themselves up to achieve that in 2024. Now the time has come to go out and do it.

Achieving that goal might be the key to unlocking the best version of Ohio State’s offensive line.

“We’re gonna have a really competitive spring and see where we’re at,” Day said. “The idea right now is we have enough to go win a national championship with the guys we have in this building right now. We come out of the spring and recognize that we don’t then we’ll have to go from there. But there are some really good young players in that room and there are now guys coming back with some experience. That should matter going into next season.